Adventure Beyond the Wall [Archive] - Wizards Community

Adventure Beyond the Wall [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
GoriceXII
03-20-07, 07:55 AM My players want to plan a sortie beyond the besieged city into the enemy camp. Their preferred target is an encampment of hobgoblins, hobgoblin priests, and a human cleric of an Elder Elemental deity and siege works. The Hobgoblins are using goblins as laborers and directing them in preparations for a siege tunnel. The clerics are preparing to combine their efforts to summon a greater Xorn (this is what the human cleric is for) in order to bargain with it to get it to summon a number of earth elementals simulatneously to bring down the whole wall.

The players will consist of a generally 4th level party: a ranger, cleric and Psion, as well as the following NPCs:
a pseudo dragon
a barbarian (2nd level)
a wizard (5th level)
12 mercenary soldiers in their employ who are generally good at sneaking and scouting, all 1st level except for a 2nd level sergeant.

I want to not discourage them from sorties but would like to keep things 'interesting'. Any suggestions?
Yakman
03-20-07, 11:18 AM --It's an earth cleric, so he's going to be 'sapping'--digging tunnels underneath your walls either to bring in infiltrators or destroy the walls from below.

Sappers were usually countered by "counter-sappers" who dug tunnels themselves and then fought the attacking diggers in the darkness below--tons of fun there--and you can use all those nasty earth-monsters that don't get enough play like umberhulks and purple worms and such.

--there is a relief column with supplies heading to the city. the enemy hasn't yet extended his siege to completely cut off the city--but he's close. The PCs have to head out to the column and guide it to the city without it getting killed.

--they are building a huge machine that will destroy the city wall. it can be seen from the walls. the PCs have to steal out, destroy the machine, and get back before dawn.
swallowyersoul
03-20-07, 03:05 PM clearly those hobgoblin clerics need to die before the xorn shows up.

or perhaps a raid to disable seige engines on a hill.

maybe there's a druid about a day's march away who might summon some earth elementals of his own for the pcs to use. if only they could sneak through enemy lines and make contact....
GoriceXII
03-20-07, 04:06 PM Thanks for the ideas guys.

My players have had the thought of a number of attacks like this--sort of like some elements of modern warfare with perhaps wizards using spells to help coordinate efforts to act in unison by a number of raiding parties. While the defenders don't have the numbers to make a conventional sortie without risking losing people raiding unexpectedly might serve to damage morale, destroy equipment and supplies and key leaders.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
GoriceXII 03-20-07, 07:55 AM	My players want to plan a sortie beyond the besieged city into the enemy camp. Their preferred target is an encampment of hobgoblins, hobgoblin priests, and a human cleric of an Elder Elemental deity and siege works. The Hobgoblins are using goblins as laborers and directing them in preparations for a siege tunnel. The clerics are preparing to combine their efforts to summon a greater Xorn (this is what the human cleric is for) in order to bargain with it to get it to summon a number of earth elementals simulatneously to bring down the whole wall. The players will consist of a generally 4th level party: a ranger, cleric and Psion, as well as the following NPCs: a pseudo dragon a barbarian (2nd level) a wizard (5th level) 12 mercenary soldiers in their employ who are generally good at sneaking and scouting, all 1st level except for a 2nd level sergeant. I want to not discourage them from sorties but would like to keep things 'interesting'. Any suggestions?
Yakman 03-20-07, 11:18 AM	--It's an earth cleric, so he's going to be 'sapping'--digging tunnels underneath your walls either to bring in infiltrators or destroy the walls from below. Sappers were usually countered by "counter-sappers" who dug tunnels themselves and then fought the attacking diggers in the darkness below--tons of fun there--and you can use all those nasty earth-monsters that don't get enough play like umberhulks and purple worms and such. --there is a relief column with supplies heading to the city. the enemy hasn't yet extended his siege to completely cut off the city--but he's close. The PCs have to head out to the column and guide it to the city without it getting killed. --they are building a huge machine that will destroy the city wall. it can be seen from the walls. the PCs have to steal out, destroy the machine, and get back before dawn.
swallowyersoul 03-20-07, 03:05 PM	clearly those hobgoblin clerics need to die before the xorn shows up. or perhaps a raid to disable seige engines on a hill. maybe there's a druid about a day's march away who might summon some earth elementals of his own for the pcs to use. if only they could sneak through enemy lines and make contact....
GoriceXII 03-20-07, 04:06 PM	Thanks for the ideas guys. My players have had the thought of a number of attacks like this--sort of like some elements of modern warfare with perhaps wizards using spells to help coordinate efforts to act in unison by a number of raiding parties. While the defenders don't have the numbers to make a conventional sortie without risking losing people raiding unexpectedly might serve to damage morale, destroy equipment and supplies and key leaders.